--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The two waiters inside the cafe knew that…" description: "\"“The two waiters inside the cafe knew that theo ld man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he woul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg" --- # The two waiters inside the cafe knew that theo ld man was… ![“The two waiters inside the cafe knew that theo ld man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him. Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said. Why?" He was in despair." What about?"…” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg) > ““The two waiters inside the cafe knew that theo ld man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him. Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said. Why?" He was in despair." What about?" Nothing." How do you know it was nothing." He has plenty of money.”” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often hide their pain behind material wealth, leading to tragic outcomes. **In simple terms:** Wealth can mask deep despair. Key Takeaway Look beyond appearances for true needs. Themes wealth despair misunderstanding Mood somber reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - financial counseling - mental health support - friendship - community outreach Key Concepts existential crisis human vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - Why do we assume wealth equals happiness? - What signs indicate hidden suffering? A Different Perspective Assumes all wealthy people are unhappy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Waiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiter/) ## Related quotes > [I am one of those who like to stay late at the cafe," the older waiter said. "With all those who do not want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-am-one-of-those-who-like-to-stay-late-at-the-cafe-the-older-waiter/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Do you have a red velvet cake?" "Of course," the waiter said, as if this was a ridiculous question. How dare I assume that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-m-cameron/do-you-have-a-red-velvet-cake-of-course-the-waiter-said-as-if-this/) [Chelsea M. Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-m-cameron/) > [Could I have a Sloe Gin Fizz, without the gin?" "What's the point of that, Miss?" the waiter said. "Tomorrow morning," Mabel said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/could-i-have-a-sloe-gin-fizz-without-the-gin-what-s-the-point-of-that/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I was in the Far East and I went into a restaurant and I ordered octopus and the waiter said: "It takes four hours."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/i-was-in-the-far-east-and-i-went-into-a-restaurant-and-i-ordered/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [Waiters and waitresses are becoming nicer and much more caring. I used to pay my check, they would say "Thank you." That's now escalated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/waiters-and-waitresses-are-becoming-nicer-and-much-more-caring-i-used/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [“The door was still open, so I shut it and was returning to my desk when I braked. There was a backpack resting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tijan/the-door-was-still-open-so-i-shut-it-and-was-returning-to-my-desk/) [Tijan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tijan/) > [“We left in pretty good time, and came after nightfall to Klausenburgh. Here I stopped for the night at the Hotel Royale. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/we-left-in-pretty-good-time-and-came-after-nightfall-to-klausenburgh/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“We left in pretty good time, and came after nightfall to Klausenburgh. Here I stopped for the night at the Hotel Royale. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/we-left-in-pretty-good-time-and-came-after-nightfall-to-klausenburgh-2/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [It was a pleasant cafe, warm and clean and friendly, and I hung up my old water-proof on the coat rack to dry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-a-pleasant-cafe-warm-and-clean-and-friendly-and-i-hung-up-my/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Everything is on such a clear financial basis in France. It is the simplest country to live in. No one makes things complicated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-is-on-such-a-clear-financial-basis-in-france-it-is-the-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The waiter brought fresh-baked bread and cheese, a bottle of sparkling water for Annabeth, and a Coke with ice for me (because I’m a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-waiter-brought-fresh-baked-bread-and-cheese-a-bottle-of-sparkling/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I was afraid to board a streetcar because of the conductor; I was afraid to enter the Kabuki Theater for fear of the usherettes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-was-afraid-to-board-a-streetcar-because-of-the-conductor-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [People who are rude to waiters... I don't like that sort of thing. People who take cuts in line... it doesn't fly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/people-who-are-rude-to-waiters-i-don-t-like-that-sort-of-thing-people/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Waiters will always pee in soup, people will always fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/waiters-will-always-pee-in-soup-people-will-always-fall-in-love/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) ## More by Ernest Hemingway > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“There was no wind, and, outside now of the warm air of the cave, heavy with smoke of both tobacco and charcoal, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-was-no-wind-and-outside-now-of-the-warm-air-of-the-cave-heavy/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“It was not brilliant bull-fighting. It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. After all, God made the world in only six days and rested on the seventh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/creation-s-probably-overrated-after-all-god-made-the-world-in-only/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Viva my husband who was Mayor of this town”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/viva-my-husband-who-was-mayor-of-this-town/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“The earth gets tired of being exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-earth-gets-tired-of-being-exploited/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good-after-and-what-is-immoral-is-what/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“We drove out along the coast road. There was the green of the headlands, the white, red-roofed villas, patches of forest, and the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-drove-out-along-the-coast-road-there-was-the-green-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I read my own books sometimes to cheer me when it is hard to write, and then I remember that it was always difficult,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-read-my-own-books-sometimes-to-cheer-me-when-it-is-hard-to-write/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You find everything on earth at Harry's." "Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More Waiter quotes > [Waiters will always pee in soup, people will always fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/waiters-will-always-pee-in-soup-people-will-always-fall-in-love/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [People who are rude to waiters... I don't like that sort of thing. People who take cuts in line... it doesn't fly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/people-who-are-rude-to-waiters-i-don-t-like-that-sort-of-thing-people/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [I was in the Far East and I went into a restaurant and I ordered octopus and the waiter said: "It takes four hours."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/i-was-in-the-far-east-and-i-went-into-a-restaurant-and-i-ordered/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [I was afraid to board a streetcar because of the conductor; I was afraid to enter the Kabuki Theater for fear of the usherettes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-was-afraid-to-board-a-streetcar-because-of-the-conductor-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [The waiter brought fresh-baked bread and cheese, a bottle of sparkling water for Annabeth, and a Coke with ice for me (because I’m a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-waiter-brought-fresh-baked-bread-and-cheese-a-bottle-of-sparkling/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [A man needs to be polite, not just to me but to everyone. I watch that. How does he treat the waiter? How does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-lima/a-man-needs-to-be-polite-not-just-to-me-but-to-everyone-i-watch-that/) [Adriana Lima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-lima/) > [I feel very uncomfortable when I eat in restaurants. I'm obnoxiously polite with the waiters: 'I just want a tuna sandwich. I'll go get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/i-feel-very-uncomfortable-when-i-eat-in-restaurants-i-m-obnoxiously/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [Famous people are deceptive. Deep down, they're just regular people. Like Larry King. We've been friends for forty years. He's one of the few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/famous-people-are-deceptive-deep-down-they-re-just-regular-people/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [A critic at best is a waiter at the great table of literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-dudek/a-critic-at-best-is-a-waiter-at-the-great-table-of-literature/) [Louis Dudek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-dudek/) > [For the world is broken, sundered, busted down the middle, self ripped from self and man pasted back together as mythical monster, half angel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/for-the-world-is-broken-sundered-busted-down-the-middle-self-ripped/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [Rhoda comes now, having slipped in while we were not looking. She must have made a tortuous course, taking cover now behind a waiter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/rhoda-comes-now-having-slipped-in-while-we-were-not-looking-she-must/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Insanity hovered close at hand, like an eager waiter at an expensive restaurant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/insanity-hovered-close-at-hand-like-an-eager-waiter-at-an-expensive/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The switch had two settings. You could either turn it to AUTO, in which case the awning lowered itself whenever the sun came out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-switch-had-two-settings-you-could-either-turn-it-to-auto-in-which/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I'm thinking waiters and waitresses are going to be bracing for more customers coming in going, not just kind of where is that beef…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moss/i-m-thinking-waiters-and-waitresses-are-going-to-be-bracing-for-more/) [Michael Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moss/) [Browse all 287 Waiter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The two waiters inside the cafe knew that theo ld man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him. Last week he tried to commit suicide,\" one waiter said. Why?\" He was in despair.\" What about?\" Nothing.\" How do you know it was nothing.\" He has plenty of money.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Hemingway" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-that-theo-ld-man-was-a-little/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Waiter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-that-theo-ld-man-was-a-little/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-tha_1484250.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The two waiters inside the cafe knew that theo ld man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client…” — Ernest Hemingway", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ernest Hemingway", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The two waiters inside the cafe...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-that-theo-ld-man-was-a-little/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-two-waiters-inside-the-cafe-knew-that-theo-ld-man-was-a-little/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```